Do You Take Drugs That Might Cause Sex Problems?

Three drugs are notorious for causing sex problems: alcohol, antidepressants, and blood pressure medications. But they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Many widely used drugs might impair libido or sexual function—and few doctors or pharmacists mention the possibility.

The key word here is “might.” The drugs discussed below might have sexual side effects, but users are not fated to experience them. Sexual side effects are highly individual. Some people notice no problems while taking, for example, the antidepressant, Paxil, while others take it and lose their libido or can’t raise erections or have orgasms.

Sexual side effects are dose-related. As the dose increases, so does the risk of impairment.

Furthermore, when people develop sex problems, especially when they develop suddenly or for no apparent reason, people may not suspect that the problem is a drug side effect. Sexual drug side effects are common and any medication might cause them.

If you suspect sexual side effects from any drug, first search the Internet. If you find a connection, consult your physician and/or pharmacist. It’s possible that another drug might be substituted that’s less likely to cause sexual impairment.

OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS

Alcohol

In Macbeth, Shakespeare wrote that alcohol “provokes the desire, but takes away the performance.” How true. The first drink is disinhibiting, so prospective lovers are easier to coax into bed. But if people of average weight drink more than two beers, cocktails, or glasses of wine in an hour, alcohol becomes a powerful central nervous system depressant that interferes with erection in men and sexual responsiveness in women.

Tobacco

Smoking narrows the blood vessels, including the arteries that carry blood into the genitals. Many studies show that male smokers face a substantial risk of erectile dysfunction. In women, smoking limits blood flow into the vaginal wall, decreasing vaginal lubrication.

In addition, the following over the counter medications have been linked to sex problems:

• Aleve. Erection problems, no ejaculation in men.

• Antihistamines (Benadryl, Dramamine). Erection problems.

• Tagamet. Erection problems, with possible libido loss.

• Zantac. Libido loss, erection problems.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Blood Pressure Medications (antihypertensives)

An enormous number of drugs are prescribed to reduce blood pressure. The bad news is that many have been linked to sexual side effects. The good news is that some are more likely to cause sexual impairment than others. If you experience problems while taking one antihypertensive medication, it’s possible that you can be switched to another drug less likely to cause problems.

Here are the more problematic blood pressure drugs and their most common sexual effects:

• Normodyne. Erection problems, delayed or no ejaculation in men, with some reports of libido loss and priapism (painful, persistent erection).

• Oretic. Erection problems.

• Propranolol. Erection problems.

• Tenormin. Erection problems.

• Thalitone. Libido loss, erection problems.

• Wytensin. Erection problems.

Antidepressants

The most popular antidepressants are the selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), among them: Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Luvox. Unfortunately, they are among those most likely to cause sexual side effects.

The more sexually problematic antidepressants include:

• Celexa. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

• Desyrel. Priapism, with possible delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women.

• Effexor. Delayed or no ejaculation in men, with possible erection problems.

• Lexapro. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems. (

• Luvox. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

• Nardil. Libido loss, erection problems, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women.

• Paxil. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

* Pexeva. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

• Prozac. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

• Sarafem. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

• Tofranil. Erection problems, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women.

• Zoloft. Libido loss, delayed or no ejaculation in men, no orgasm in women, with possible erection problems.

If you experience sexual side effects from antidepressants, ask your doctor if you can switch you to Wellbutrin or Remeron. These antidepressants have occasionally been associated with sexual side effects (libido loss and erection problems), but in general, they are the least problematic.

There’s a good reason why narcotics and tranquilizers are called “downers.” That’s what happens to users’ sexual interest. But “uppers” are no better. Amphetamines and cocaine stimulate sexual desire, but impair orgasm,. With regular use, desire fades as well.

The most sexually unpredictable drug is marijuana. In some, it enhances lovemaking. In others, it’s a sex-killer. And some say its erotic effects depend on the strain, the setting, and their mood. For more on this, see my post of May 1, 2011.

Venlafaxine is the generic name of a very popular antidepressant. I take the generic form because it's cheaper and isn't made by Big Pharma. My antidepressant is boosted with a daily dose of 6,000 IUDs of VitD.
Does my antidepressant cause sexual side effects? You bet! I have zero sex drive except when ovulating, when I'd like to hump everything in sight. Do I have problems reaching orgasm! Absolutely! Right now it takes Hitachi Magic Wand levels of stimilation to "send me off", anything less doesn't do much.
Do I consider this situation a problem? NO,NO,NO, and NO. Without my antidepressant, I'd be dead. It's that bad. My life is good, sometimes even great. And without my meds I want to kill myself on my very best days.
Life is not perfect, and it never will be. Wanting everything 100% awesome is unrealistic. I knew these side-effects were possible when I started, and mine are quite mild compared with those of others I've read. I CAN orgasm and CAN be aroused. And I'm not dead! Seems like a pretty good trade-off for me, so far.

I'm kind of amazed at how many men seem to happily tolerate erectile dysfunction and very low libido caused by one or more of their medications. They don't bug their doctors to try something new, or try to get off antidepressants that they've been on for years and years, or try to lose weight to improve blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

I am over 50, and my girlfriends talk!, and we are generally pretty frustrated by our partners' unhealthy statuses. My H has a bigger problem, i.e. prostate cancer, but even for him he really hasn't done anything to address the issue, he seems to just tolerate no sex, no libido. It's very frustrating.

I suppose the same could be said for many women, I just am more familiar with the men I guess.

I’m 41 years old and was suffering from sexual problems. I got married five years ago but failed to have children. My wife and I both went to the doctor who advised us some tests. We got the tests done and it was found that I had a low sperm count due to which conception fails. He advised us different methods but I wanted to try some natural product to get rid of my problem. I searched on the internet and read about Neo ( www.herbalcureindia.com ). I tried this natural remedy for my problem. I took it for three months and then against get my tests done. Number and quality of sperms improved a lot within three months. I continued the remedy for three more months as it is absolutely natural and safe. After taking this natural remedy for six months we again tried for a baby and this time we succeeded. Thanks to this natural remedy that solved my problem.

This is wonderful information. I especially liked your line: "If you suspect sexual side effects from any drug, first search the Internet." I did just that last year when I suddenly lost erections after starting a new blood pressure med.

I googled "ED and drugs" or something like that, and my new med came up as the number one cause of ED for blood pressure meds. I had my MD change it.

Just a couple days ago I again had to explain why-- the tech was reviewing my meds and said "oh so you were on (whatever it was) and you had an adverse reaction-- was it coughing?" I said "No it was that my penis would not get hard" loud enough for the staff around to hear.

Jeez, wouldn't your average MD GP know to ask a male patient if having an erect penis was important to him, before prescribing a drug that would make that not happen? Just wondering!